The Thieves of Ancient Egypt
by Josephine Jekyl
Summary: The king of thieves Bakura finds trouble when a thief robs and plunders on his turf. What happens when he finds out his rival is really a woman? a woman with the same goal as him. BakuraXoc AU Rough summary On Hold
1. Chapter 1: Romi

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Yu Gi Oh

**Author's notes**: **Author's notes: **I've had this story in my head for a while now and thoughts it was time to put it onto paper… or computer, whatever….

**Summary: **The king of thieves Bakura is the leader of the most feared band of tomb robbers in Egypt. Life is good, but his title comes under threat as another gang arrive on the scene thieving and plundering on his turf. As a result they become rivals. What happens when he finds out that the leader of the rival group turns out to be female? One that shares a similar goal to him…

I have an idea for this story that I am pretty sure no one else has tried. If they have, I haven't seen it and I am sorry for that. Keep in mind that my first chapters are always a little hard for me to write. I get better the further into the story I go. I hope you stay long enough to agree with that.

Please give this story a chance. Btw, I have given her mother a name but I can't think of one for her father. I will though, eventually. Oh and the pharaoh mentioned in this fic is Atemu's father. Just in case you didn't know.

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**The Gangs of Ancient ****Egypt**

**Chapter 1: Leave Taking**

"Mummy I don't wanna go! I wanna stay here!" whined the small five year old girl as her mother packed the few belongings she possessed.

"You will do as you're told Romi" replied her mother wearily. This issue had been going on for weeks, and over these last few days, it seemed to have become the only topic talked about.

"Why do I have to go to Kemet? I don't wanna study to be a scribe! I wanna stay here and play with all the other kids!"

"Look, I don't want you to leave either, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. You will never get this chance again. I want to see you amount to something other then a thief like the rest of this sorry lot!"

Ashera walked out of the room, leaving Romi to sulk in the corner. No matter how hard she tried, she could not convince her parents to let her stay. Her mother and father had traveled to Kemet a month ago 'to work' and had bumped into someone who worked at the palace. Apparently he was scouting for potential students to work as scribes.

A scribe was an incredibly envied job and many people wanted to do it as it paid well, ensured a roof over their heads and meant never having to go hungry. Unfortunately there were specifications if you wanted to be one. They needed young people because they could learn faster and guaranteed a longer service in the libraries. The Pharaoh Akunumkanon had issued an order to look for students, but only on the condition that their parents agreed to let their children become scribes. There was a fierce war going on at this time and he didn't want his people to rebel against him.

Romi was holding her mothers hand, watching her father pick pocketing from unsuspecting travellers, when a man in a white robe came up to them. He looked down at Romi intently while asking Ashera if she would consent to her daughter becoming a scribe. Ashera wasn't sure what to say. This wasn't a decision she could make on her own. Her husband had a right too choose his daughters future as well. Plus she wasn't sure if he would want his daughter to work for the pharaoh.

He had noticed his wife talking to someone between thefts and came back to investigate. Romi looked up at the three adults as the man explained the advantages of the job and what she would get out of it. Her father had a thoughtful look on his face as he glanced down at his only child. Romi knew his decision instantly and became silent as the grave. The moment they had arrived home, he began to talk to his daughter about it, but she didn't want to know. She had closed herself off for a week, barely eating a thing.

Romi walked out of her room and saw her father talking to a friend outside. She sent him the most hateful glare she could muster, but it didn't work. His friend noticed her and whispered something making her father turn to look at her. They chuckled quietly to themselves before resuming their conversation. Romi was furious. They weren't taking this seriously! Everyone in the village knew about her 'education' and they were very proud of her. They kept saying things like 'show those city folk what an educated thief can do' and 'if you see anything nice in the palace send it our way'

She sat in front of the fire place, watching the pot bubble away on top of it. The seasoned contents of the pot filled the room with a delicious aroma. She felt herself beginning to cry as she realised this would be the last time she and her family would be eating together. She let the tears fall from her amber eyes until she felt her father lift her up into his arms. He cuddled her protectively for a few minutes until she stopped crying.

"This is for the best Romi. I know it doesn't seem like it now, but think of the life you'll have. You'll get to live in the palace, wear nice clothes and have regular baths. It's great that you won't have to become a thief. It will be much safer for you. I can't guarantee what will happen if you stay here. We're always getting unexpected visits you know. Hey, remember that guy who had a visit from the father of his 'fling' when he raided that village near Philae?"

"You mean the guy who put a baby in that girl's tummy?" asked Romi innocently.

"That's the one…" chuckled her father in response.

Romi thought back to that rather amusing time. The father of the girl had paid a visit to the man and threatened him to do the right thing and take responsibility for his actions or he'd cut out his tongue. Needless to say, his wife wasn't very happy about this. Now he had to take care of two women! That meant more thieving expeditions and putting his life at risk!

She giggled when her father began to tickle her stomach. That was her weak spot and he always got her there. Her mother walked into the room and headed for the pot. She served up three bowls and they all sat down to dinner. Romi had another bowl after she had finished. Who knows when she would get the chance to eat something as good as this again.

She spent the rest of the evening with her parents and the villagers. They had all gathered together to make sure Romi's last day was the best day of her life. They had competitions, games, and even presented gifts to her, which she accepted happily, squealing with delight. She was sad when she had to say good bye to her friends, but they were so upbeat and exited for her that she soon forgot about it.

When it came to her bedtime, she was so exhausted she couldn't even stand up on her own. She was carried inside and gently placed on her bed. Her parents wrapped her up against the cold of the night and left her to her dreams.

**888888888888888888888 next morning**

The night had come and gone far too quickly, and Romi now found herself being dragged towards a cart that was headed for Kemet. Her bag was loaded onboard and she was hoisted on with it. Romi fell to her feet, not knowing what to do. She looked around in panic for her mother and father, hoping desperately that one of them would change their mind. They looked sad, but were not about to change their minds about this. Instead, they walked over to her and gave her a few last comforting words before she began her new life.

"Don't worry" said her father in an upbeat tone. "You can always come and visit us, or we can visit you. It'll be fine. You're not the only one who's gonna learn to be a scribe you know. You'll make lots of new friends that you can play with at the palace"

Romi seriously doubted that. She wanted to stay with her family and keep her old friends.

"Yes, but remember to study hard and don't cause trouble" said Ashera, cupping Romi's face with both hands. "You will be in the pharaoh's palace ok? Don't give anyone reason to punish you"

Romi nodded, wiping back her tears.

"Don't cry baby" said her father. He leant in and whispered into his daughter's ear so his wife couldn't listen. "Don't let 'anyone' walk over you. There will always be someone who thinks they're better then you. Be discreet and get them back when they least expect it. But make sure you don't get caught. Think your plans over and over until there is no chance of failure. Remember, revenge is a dish best served cold…"

Romi laughed and bowed her head in promise. Her father had always taught her to stick up for herself and now would be the time to prove herself to him. She could be strong, just like he wanted her to be. Her eyes were much brighter now. She sat down in the cart and waved to her family until they were out of sight. She knew she would see her family again someday.

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A bearded figure looked out onto the village below. He was flanked by hundreds of soldiers wielding spears and swords. He was also accompanied by several priests. He carried with him a heavy book with metal edges. He held it close to his chest and sighed shakily as he summoned up the courage to announce his orders. There was no going back after this.

"We have arrived at Kuruelna! Capture everyone in sight. There must be no survivors…"

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Well what do you think? Didja guess the name of the village at the start? I guess it was kind of obvious.

**The last time I started to write a story, someone left me a nasty review that was obviously just to be spiteful. If anyone does that again I will delete it and block you from reviewing ever again. If it is signed then I will report you to the staff at and have your account terminated. There is no need to put people down, especially if you haven't even written a story yourself.**

**If you don't like this story then be grown up about it and don't read it. Thankyou.**

**Be nice when reviewing ok? I'd appreciate it.**


	2. Chapter 2: The Pharaohs Palace

**aDisclaimer**: I do not own Yu Gi Oh

**Author's notes**: I'm going to keep writing this fic no matter what that flamer says or thinks. Everything they said or assumed about me (like me not knowing the story when I own all the DVDs or making it too mushy and romantic right away) is a load of rubbish.

I'm writing this for people who want to read an eventual romance between Bakura and an oc. If you don't like oc's then you should turn back now. I don't like any canon pairings except for Joey and Mai, but even then not as much as to write about them. And maybe Seto and Kisara. They're cute.

Thankyou to everyone who reviewed last chapter. I hope this chapter is better. But then that can't be hard, the last one was pretty short. Chapter 1 was just the opening to introduce Romi.

**This fic might not be updated as often as my other one at the moment because it is a side story. Keep your ideas coming though. Characters, situations and stuff are all welcomed. I'll put them in for you if they fit the storyline. And a better title would be appreciated too if you can think of one. I've gone off this one**

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**The Thieves of Ancient ****Egypt**

**Chapter 2: The ****Pharaohs****Palace**

Romi gazed around in awe as she tried to take in the sight of the pharaoh's palace and the city all at the same time. How one man could live in such a huge place was beyond her. The streets were lined with palm trees and the Nile glistened in the sunlight. The clear blue sky and the desert sands contrasted each other well, all these things together created a sense of tranquillity. The streets were filled with people going about their day to day business, making Romi feel far superior to them. She wanted to prance around and brag about how she was going to live in the palace and they weren't.

Romi began to shake with excitement as the cart drew closer to the gates. She stood up in the back to see muscled men wearing white kilts and holding long sharp pointed spears. They lined the stretch of road that lead to the palace. She stared at the living statues realising that these must be the guards. She wrinkled her nose at them. She'd always imagined them to look more…. Impressive.

Her attention returned to the structure before her. There was a loud sound, like a lock being unbolted and the huge gates creaked open letting the cart through. The palace grounds were even better on the inside of the walls. Everything was so… symmetrical. Statues of the gods stood around the edges of the grounds giving an impression that she was being watched. She squirmed at the thought. She hated being watched.

There were images and hieroglyphics painted on the walls. Romi smirked as she thought about how she would soon learn how to read them. She looked around and saw a patch of greenery towards the side of the palace. There was a garden here! And she had no doubts about it being a large one.

"Alright girl, we're here. Get off…" grumbled the miserable old man driving the cart.

Romi did as she was told and grabbed her bag tossing it over her shoulder. She jumped off the cart and looked around wondering where she should go next. Her attention was caught by a man coming towards her. Her eyes widened a bit. It turned out to be the very person who'd spotted her in the market place.

"Ah, you're finally here" he greeted. "Come, I will take you to the rest of the students"

He led Romi inside the palace and down the ornately decorated hallways where they eventually came to a group of other children. They all stared at the late arrival.

"All of you will remain here until your tutor arrives to assign you to your rooms. Behave yourselves" said the man before walking away from them.

The majority of the children were boys. They had separated into two groups. The boys on one side and girls on the other. The boys regarded Romi strangely, almost as if she shouldn't be here. They whispered amongst themselves and rudely pointed at her. Romi frowned at them.

"What's your problem?" she asked huffily. Who did they think they were?

A boy with dark hair stepped forward. He had brown eyes and a cool expression. He was quite tall for his age.

"You're our problem" he said impudently looking down at her and the other girls who had all huddled together. "I don't know why Shimon decided to let girls in. They don't have the skills to become a scribe. Why don't you lot just stay in the kitchen where you belong?"

Romi eyed the boy and looked him up and down before turning her gaze to his flunkies standing behind him. "You must be the ringleader" she assessed looking back at his arrogant brown eyes. "How the hell would you know if girls have the skills to become scribes or not? You think that because you're a boy that makes you better then us?" her eyes flashed with anger.

"Pretty much" he smirked crossing his arms. His friends laughed behind him making the boy's ego even bigger then it already was. Romi snapped her head towards them.

"What are you maggot's laughing at?" she spat venomously. "Why don't you come up with your own clever comments instead of hiding behind someone else and laughing like stinky hyena's?"

They stopped their laughter and glared at the girl but no one spoke. The tall boy stepped forward and raised a finger, pointing it at her in a threatening way.

"Watch your tongue or I'll have to teach you a lesson in manners" he curled his fist into a ball and closed his other hand around it.

"Go on then" goaded Romi.

The boy's expression faltered a little. He had expected her to shrink away from him.

"Come on" she said again. "Teach me a lesson I'll never forget. I dare you…"

The boy knew he was in a tight spot. If he didn't make a move his flunkies would think he was a coward. But if he did, he might get into trouble. She spoke to him with a tone he had never heard from a girl before, and that wasn't a good thing. If he wasn't careful she would walk all over him. He couldn't allow that.

He walked forward and grabbed Romi around the neck. He roughly pushed her towards the wall, winding her in the process as he slammed her into it. He raised his hand to strike her but paused, frowning in confusion when he saw her face. She was smiling at him. Not a normal smile, but a triumphant one. It was almost like she wanted to be hit... she slowly opened her mouth.

Everyone in the vicinity had to cover their ears as she let out a piercing scream that echoed along the hallways. Romi's throat was becoming sore, but it was worth it to see the panic on that boys face. He closed one of his hands around her mouth in an attempt to stop the racket, but it was too late.

"What are you doing to that girl! Unhand her at once!" shouted a small man who was accompanied by several other adults in white robes.

He dropped her and she fell to the ground pointing at him with an accusing finger.

"He hit me and said that I should go home because im a girl! He said that if I told you he'd kill me! So did all the other boys!" sobbed Romi, her eyes overflowing with fake tears.

The boy stared at her in disbelief. That little liar! "I swear I didn't touch her! She's making this all up!" he tried to explain.

"That's enough!" shouted the small man in disgust. "I will not allow bullying here! You will be disciplined for your actions today"

He motioned to one of the accompanying men and they led the boy away with displeased looks on their faces.

"I had hoped that you would all get along together, but it seems that im going to have to separate you into different groups" the man continued with a sigh. "Boys, you will follow my friend here and the girls will come with me"

The children did as they were told and followed their respective adult guide. Romi could feel cold hard glares upon her back and she smirked to herself. That would teach them to mess with a girl!

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They soon arrived at their destination. The dormitories. The girls all gasped and looked around at the rooms they were given. It wasn't as rich as the rest of the palace, but compared to what they were used to it was a very impressive sight.

Romi bounded into her room and tested out the bounciness of the bed. She was a little too enthusiastic and went flying off the other side. In the short time she was on the bed she could feel the sheets were very soft. She once heard her mother mentioning Egyptian cotton and how incredibly soft it was. Romi figured this must be what she was talking about. She looked out of the small window and saw the garden. There was a beautiful stretch of water there with lilies, lotuses and exotic birds catching fish. Turning her attention back to her room she looked at the shelves and desks there. All empty at the moment.

Romi began to mess about with the writing utensils on the desk when she was interrupted by a small girl her age standing by the door watching her. She had brown hair down to her shoulders and reddish-purple eyes.

"…Hi…." said Romi hesitantly dropping what she was doing "can I help you?"

"Hi, I just wanted to say how great you were when you got Baal into trouble" said the girl grinning.

"Who's Baal?" asked Romi scratching her head.

"That boy who you were arguing with" replied the girl. "I grew up in the same village as him and he's always been like that. It's about time someone taught him a lesson. It was sooo funny when they dragged him away! If looks could kill you would have dropped dead on the spot!"

"Well I don't believe in letting men walk all over me" said Romi smiling. "My dad said that if anyone is nasty to me then I have to get back at them"

"Where did you come from?" asked the girl. "I come from Philae. My name is Siuani. What's yours?"

"Romi" she replied. "So how come you're here? Why did you get chosen?" asked Romi avoiding half the question. Her village was where thieves hung out and she would like to keep that a secret.

Siuani walked over and plopped herself on Romi's bed "Shimon comes to our village all the time cus of the temple there. He came looking for a few kids one day and asked me to come because he wanted a mixed class of boy and girls"

"Who is Shimon?" asked Romi.

"He's that little guy who told off Baal. He doesn't like him very much. Never has, but he had to let him come because of his father. He wasn't too happy when Shimon asked me first"

Romi snorted "That sounds about right! He would never have gotten in here without 'daddy's help'. Are you looking forward to it?" asked Romi.

"I have been since the moment he asked me" she grinned in response. "What about you?"

"Wasn't too happy at first, but now I think it won't be so bad" said Romi. "What's your room like?"

"Well it's just like this one but you can come and see if you like" replied Siuani grabbing Romi's arm and dragging her across the hallway.

Siuani had already decorated it a bit. She had put her personal belonging about the place making it look a little homier. Romi was about to comment on it all when the Shimon came up behind her.

"What do you girls think of your rooms then?" he asked smiling.

"Really comfy, thanks" grinned Romi. "Sooo, when do we start?"

"You start tomorrow morning. First we will teach you the rules of behaviour when you are in the palace, then you will begin learning. If your behaviour isn't up to scratch you will be sent home"

"Is that where Baal is going?" asked Romi hopefully.

"He has been given a warning" said Shimon. "If he misbehaves as badly as that again he will be. Don't worry girls, he won't hurt you. He had no right to say those things. After all, we have a high priestess serving the pharaoh and she is more then capable of doing her job and im sure you will be too"

"Thanks!" grinned Siuani. "We'll show those boys"

"That's the spirit! Now I'll leave you two to talk some more and get aquainted, but you had better get to bed when the sun goes down and not a minute later. You must be up early in the morning to begin your training. Good evening ladies" said Shimon turning and leaving the girls to continue their chat.

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Bad chapter! Im ashamed at how bad it is! This part was so awkward to write! My god! As I said before I do get better as time goes on and I will edit these chapters again later on so they will be better. Please bear with me while I set the foundations of the story. Siuani is gonna be a friend but im not gonna focus on her. Next chapter should be more about Romi blah blah blah.

Im not gonna write replies to this fic. Can't be bothered, but if there is something you want to know I will leave a note for you ok?

Review please. My god im still reeling…. Awfulness!


	3. Chapter 3: Everyday Lives

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Yu Gi Oh

**Author's Notes: **you know what? I always put author's notes, but im an authoress! Hmmmmm, I must amend that next chapter. Or now!

**Authoress's Notes: **That's better. Okay, I'm going to Germany this weekend for my uncles wedding anniversary. I make no promises about updating but I'll do my best. Im trying to convince my dad into letting me take my laptop. He's convinced it'll get nicked at the airport. If I can't take it, then I'll just draw pictures instead and read my mangas. Or try and make my own! A short comical sketch you understand.

Please understand that I had a real hard time writing this bit. I think… my minds still a bit broken. Btw, to those of you who don't know who Shimon is, its Yugi's grandpa (not in ancient Egypt though) He's the pharaohs advisor and used to hold the millennium key just so you know. And Romi is 17 now. I forgot her age as a kid so I made her 5.

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The Thieves of Ancient Egypt

Everyday Lives

**12 years later**

A small female figure silently made her way through the city's darkened alleys unseen. It was very late and she wasn't even supposed to be there. It was the first day of the New Year and she wasn't about to miss the dancing, the drinking and the all out celebrating because of a rule some stuck up high class 'hey look at me and do as I say because I'm important' guy said so. Romi had matured a lot over the years, physically at least. Her conduct however needed some work as she held very little respect for those 'above her' and was often told off for it by Shimon. He never really meant it though as she always made him laugh and had never been rude to him personally.

Over the last ten years, Romi had found living in the palace very boring. All she did was work, eat, sleep and work some more. There was no fun to be had, they constantly had 'superiors' breathing down their necks with snobbish remarks, and revenge had been very difficult to achieve because of the security of the place. This was the life that people dreamed of? To work yourself to death and have no life?

_"If I had known it was going to be like this then I would have tried harder to convince my parents into letting me stay at home" _she thought sourly.

The only reason why Romi stayed at the palace was because her mother and father wanted her to. She wanted to send her family letters to tell them how she was doing, but seeing as they couldn't read it was pretty pointless. So instead she had decided to send them odd things she had 'found' in the palace. Nothing major, just a few pieces of gold and silver here and there like jewellery, money, fine fabrics, and scented oils. Nothing much at all.

She had run into a merchant one day a few years ago that had regular business in the palace. Romi had asked him to do her the favour of delivering these items to her parents. The man agreed after a while, but he demanded over half her wages. Romi wasn't too thrilled about this arrangement but agreed anyway because she wanted her parents to know she was thinking of them, and he showed no signs of giving her a better deal. A strange expression had crossed his face when she told him the name of her village, but it disappeared before she could identify what it was. She remembered him smiling at her, bearing his crooked yellow teeth and holding out his hand to close the deal. It was almost as if he knew something she didn't.

Anyway, Romi was almost at her destination. It was a bar she had frequented since she was fifteen years old. It was a place where many people came to unwind after a hard days work, and she had worked very hard indeed. For the last twelve years actually. She breathed a sigh of relief as her watering hole came into view. She raised a hand and knocked on the door.

"Who is it? Whaddaya want?" asked a gruff voice on the other side.

"Guess" replied Romi with a grin.

She could hear the gruff voice chuckling. The door was unbolted and opened to reveal a rather large man with a wonky nose and scars all over his face. He bent over and bowed to her while trying to keep a straight face and received a playful punch in the shoulder for it. He had been doing this kind of thing ever since she told him she worked in the palace. Romi almost regretted it now. The joke was beginning to get a little thin.

"It's been a while since you last paid us a visit" said the man returning to his place behind the bar.

"Yeah? Well you try sneaking out of the palace with guards left right and center. I almost got caught this time; by one of the dumb ones can you believe" she replied.

"You're getting careless. There something on your mind? You never use to be like this" said the bartender.

"I'm not careless! And there's nothing wrong. Everything's fine, just mind your own business and give me something hard" snapped Romi.

The man complied and poured a strong alcoholic beverage into a cup for her. She picked it up and gulped it down in as if it were water. She blinked a few times and held back a cough and it took its effect on her. Her eyes watered a little bit but she composed herself.

"I'd be careful if I were you. If you almost got caught coming here, then imagine what'll happen when you go back completely legless" he warned.

"Meh…" Romi shrugged in response. "Gimme me another"

"Ok then" he said with a sigh.

Romi sat on her seat and turned around to watch everyone else in the place. They were all having a great time. They were in large groups, singing and dancing to the music that filled the air. Romi had secretly hoped to herself that when she arrived at the bar she would begin to feel like celebrating the New Year. But it wasn't working out the way she had planned. She felt as miserable as she did this morning.

She took a large gulp of the strong smelling liquor in her hands and closed her eyes tight again at the burning sensation in her throat. Her head began to scream warnings to her, which thankfully she decided to heed. As much as she hated to admit it, the man was right. If she kept knocking back drink after drink, then she wouldn't be able to get back into the palace without getting caught. If they found out she had been 'wandering' she would be in trouble. She slowly turned to her friend.

"Alright fine, give me something that's not gonna leave me vomiting in the morning. I still have to work for our dear beloved pharaoh" she said sarcastically. "I don't need to drink to have fun anyway"

"Its funny how you're only talking sense now that you've had a few. Usually it's the other way around" laughed the bartender. "The entertainers should be arriving soon. Maybe you'll feel better then. The night is still young"

"Yeah whatever" she muttered. _"They'd better be good to cheer me up especially with the mood im in right now"_

**888888888888888888888888888888888 a couple of hours later**

Romi had decided to leave the party earlier then planned. Even with the entertainment, which was very good, she just didn't feel in the mood to celebrate. She didn't know what was wrong with her. It had only been this past week she had felt like this. Usually she was an upbeat, make the best of the situation kind of person.

Romi silently made her way to spot she had made her temporary escape from the confines of the palace. It was far away from the front gates, away from the prying eyes of the guards. Occasionally someone passed by, but not too often. A lot of the guards were very lazy which was a good thing for her. Romi reached into a nearby pot where she had hidden a rope for her return. It wouldn't do for someone to see a rope hanging from the palace wall. It would cause too much of a commotion. On the end of the rope was a metal hook she had 'borrowed' from someone without permission.

Looking to see if the coast was clear, Romi made her move. She swung the rope around a few times before letting it go so the hook caught the top of the wall. Romi was used to this by now as she had done it many times before. Her upper body strength was quite unusual for a woman. She quickly heaved herself up until she reached the top. Gathering the rope together she looped it over her shoulder. She ran along the wall until she came to a point where she could climb onto a tree, which was conveniently in close proximity. It was a bit of a jump but she made it with no problems.

She climbed down and crept amongst the bushes taking care not to catch the attention of the patrolling guards. Finally after five or ten minutes of stealthy prowess she came to the dormitories. She silently made her way through the hallway until she reached her room. She slid inside and closed the door behind her. She had made it once again.

Leaning up against it for a moment, she removed her cloak. She threw it to the side somewhere and pulled off her white peasants dress. She rummaged through her drawer to find something comfortable to sleep in. Once dressed, she crawled into bed, smiling at the softness of the blankets. It was a pleasantly warm night with a slight breeze. The crescent moon shone in through the window illuminating her face. It was times like these that she felt at peace and wished that time would stop. She closed her eyes, trying to make the most of this tranquil solitude before she had to get up and face another day.

**8888888888888888888888888888888888888 next day**

Romi worked in the library putting scrolls in their rightful places. It didn't look like such a hard job, but there were a lot of scrolls to go through and they weren't clearly labelled. She knew who was responsible for this.

_"Baal"_ thought Romi angrily.

He knew it was her turn to do this job and deliberately made a mess so she would have to check the scrolls, therefore wasting her free time doing it. She had better things to do then clean up his mess! She gritted her teeth as she continued with her work, but stopped suddenly when she felt an arrogant presence behind her. She turned around to see Baal smirking at her.

He studied Romi from the doorway, his arms folded against his chest. She was wearing the scribe uniform which was a red dress with a blue band across the top and the bottom. Her long layered hair came to below her shoulder blades and her amber eyes shone with a glint of fury at him.

"What do you want?" growled Romi, turning back to the scrolls.

"Aren't you finished yet? Look, if this job is too hard for you, then maybe you should just quit. I'll understand you know" he mocked bringing him back from his reverie.

"Yeah? Well maybe you should quit too Baal. If you can't even label the scrolls properly, then what hope do you have? I think I've shown great skill as I've been able to understand the mess that is your writing"

"You little sh…!"

Shimon walked in just at that moment. "Ah Romi. Aren't you finished that yet? You're supposed to be writing something up for me this evening"

"I'm very sorry Shimon. Some idiot can't label properly. I've had to go through all these documents to make sure everything's in the right place. It's taken me all morning"

"Well thankyou Romi. That's very good of you. Any idea who this person is? I'll have to have a word with them" said Shimon.

Romi shot a glance at Baal who had turned red with anger. "I've no idea, but whoever it was must be very stupid. It's not like they were given a hard job or anything."

"Yes you're right" replied Shimon. "It's a wonder they're still here if they can't do something as simple as this… are you alright Baal?"

Shimon looked at Baal in concern at his clenched fist and pursed his lips together. He didn't like to be talked about in this way and it hurt his pride. Even if he had done it on purpose!

"Yes sir. Everything's fine. I'm Just feeling a little ill" he lied.

"Maybe you should get some rest" suggested Romi in a sickeningly sweet and concerned tone. "Maybe it's the heat. You must be sensitive to it. Go and rest. We wouldn't want anything to happen to you now would we?"

That was another blow to his pride! He wasn't weak! Nor was he sensitive to the heat! She was just doing this to humiliate his masculinity. In front of one of the officials as well! That Romi was Shimon's favourite and she knew how to work him. She had him wrapped around her little finger and he didn't even know it.

"I'll be fine. Im going to return to my work, if you excuse me"

Baal bowed his head to Shimon and shot a glare at Romi who smirked back. She would surely pay for that later, but she would have her revenge in her own little way. Maybe a few false rumours were in order.

**8888888888888888888888888888 night time somewhere else in ****Egypt**

"Another nights work, a complete success!" laughed a white haired man.

He jumped off of his black horse and towards a group of men sitting around a campfire near an oasis. They watched him expectantly. He threw down a huge bag in front of them, the contents spilling out onto the sand. The men all gathered around the gold and jewels and greedily examined them, voicing their obvious joy.

The white haired man made his way over to his spot and slumped down, leaning his back against a large rock. He reached into a nearby bag and grabbed a chunk of bread, tearing into it with his teeth. With his other hand, he removed his hood that he wore whilst robbing. He had a distinguishing scar on his right cheek below his eye. He wore a long red coat with a beige one underneath and a black kilt. He was very well built. It was obvious that he was very physical in his line of work. The years of robbing tombs had obviously done wonders for his stomach and chest.

His most recent trip had been to the valley of the queens. He had found their tombs to be filled with nearly as much riches as the pharaohs. That and the fact that it was an easy job. Not that he wanted it easy all the time. He wanted a challenge, but seeing as he was the most skilled thief in Egypt, challenges were hard to come by. If there was a trap nearby, he knew about it. He couldn't explain why, that was just how it was.

_"I would have imagined they'd come up with more original traps then that" _he thought with a smirk, looking at a tiny minuscule scrape on his wrist. _"It's almost as if they want their nobility to enter the afterlife as beggars" _

"Master Bakura!" his attention was brought back to one of the men calling his name.

"What?" he asked in a bored tone, taking another bite of the bread.

"The men want to know if they can go and clear out the rest of the loot"

"Whatever" he shrugged. "The traps there are so simple; a newborn could work them out"

The men let out exited shouts and jumped to their feet, climbing on their horses. They gathered themselves a few empty bags to bring the treasure back in and attached their scimitars to their belts. They were about to ride off when their master stopped them.

"Don't get caught! If any of you are stupid enough to be seen by the pharaoh's soldiers, then you don't deserve to be called a thief! And I will not come back for you. You're on your own from now on" he warned staring each man in the eye wit ha cold stare.

Bakura was a well respected leader and they understood perfectly that he meant every word he said. Despite knowing that he would leave them to rot if the time ever came, they felt privileged that they were even allowed into his inner circle. With him on their side they became very rich, very quickly. As long as they didn't get on the wrong side of him.

They nodded to him in understanding and galloped off towards the tomb Bakura had just raided in the queen's valley. He had just said it was easy hadn't he? The traps were similar to ones they had encountered before in previous raids? The men were a little over confident and decided amongst themselves that they need only take this one trip to clear the tomb.

Bakura watched them ride into the distance, knowing full well that they would never return alive. He smirked to himself as he stood up and gathered the gold he had collected. He threw it over his back and jumped onto his horse. He pulled the reigns and sped of in the opposite direction to spend his 'well earned' money on luxury inns and harems. This amount would only last a month or so, but that was enough time to plan his next move.

**8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888**

**You know what? I think this turned out better then I thought. You got to know about Romi and Bakura made an entrance too. isn't Bakura nasty? He's eliminating the competition and just being nasty by sending men to their death. Oh and btw, if you didn't catch the hint, Baal find Romi quite attractive. You'll see in later chapters that he want to 'tame her'**

**The story is all coming together now. Im getting into it a bit more. I have loads of new ideas. Especially about that merchant…**

**Review please. Thankyou very much.**


	4. Chapter 4: The Last Straw

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Yu Gi Oh

**Author's notes: **Sorry for the late update. I've been busy doing other stuff. The good news is that I now have a better idea of what I want to do with this story. Many ideas have graced my presence in these last two weeks. Im also gonna be busy concentrating on getting my squall Leonheart costume ready. My sister has convinced me to go with her and her friend to an Anime/Manga convention. Sounds like fun.

Btw, you are going to see a taste of Romi's true personality. She is only interested in herself and uses others to get what she wants. She's very different from my other oc and any other I've read about. I want her to be selfish. It's a refreshing change don't you think? Im sorry if this is boring so far. Please bear with me. This is still building up to something. Once she finds out about her village, things will get better I promise!

**8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888**

The Thieves of Ancient Egypt

Chapter 4: The Last Straw

The sound of papyrus rustling, echoed throughout the library. The woman behind the sorting was in a 'very' bad mood and who could blame her? Romi fumed to herself as she bitterly organized the papers in front of her, wincing at sudden movements. She was now officially fed up of life here in the palace and despised every single person in it! Today's events had forced her to seriously reconsider her future here in Kemet. She growled in anger as her mind played back to the events the day before.

**_88888 Flashback 88888_**

Romi had been working as usual, minding her own business, doing what scribes do best. She had been working for many hours and was in desperate need of a break. Feeling she would work better after a stroll, she stood up to stretch her arms and legs.

_"I feel like an old woman" _she thought as she felt her stiff knees creak from the endless hours of sitting on her backside.

Romi made her way to the door of the library and stepped outside. She eventually came to a balcony and looked outside onto the city below. It was a particularly nice afternoon. It was just after midday and the sun had just begun to descend from the sky, a pleasant breeze blowing through the city. Romi closed her eyes and breathed deeply as the wind blew her hair about her face. She shook her head, allowing her long raven tresses fall about her shoulders.

_"It's a shame I have to work. Once again I am forced to stay inside on the one day that everyone else is out enjoying themselves" _she thought bitterly.

She crossed her arms and leant over the balcony, an idea slowly forming in her head. She had been asked to write an important paper that had to be completed this very evening, a very serious job. Romi didn't really want to do it though. It was so incredibly boring; she thought she would die before completing it. Her idea? Why not get someone else to finish it instead while she went off and did her own thing?

It didn't take much to persuade her, so with that final thought, she sprinted off towards the dormitories to find Siuani.

Romi and Siuani had become friends over the years… or so it appeared. Siuani loved hanging out with Romi because she was fun, and interesting stuff always seemed to happen when she was around. Especially where Baal was concerned. Romi however thought of Siuani to be a tagalong and extremely annoying. She much preferred to have her own space then share it with someone like her. The only reason why she acted all buddy buddy with Siuani, was because the girl was so damn eager to please people, and that in itself was a reason to stay civil towards her. You never know when you might need a pawn to do your dirty work.

She soon arrived at her 'pal's' room and knocked a few times. With no answer, Romi poked her head around the half opened door to see Siuani laying on the bed with a book covering her face. She looked like she was asleep.

"Wakey wakey!" hollered Romi, scaring the life out of her.

Siuani jumped with such a start, that she fell off the bed and landed with a loud bump on the stone floor. She groaned in pain, and stood up rubbing her sore rear.

"Owwwww! What did you do that for? You could have just nudged me!" she complained.

Romi waved her hand, dismissing the matter. "There wasn't time. Let me get straight to the point, im in a hurry, I need your help with something"

Siuani looked at Romi in concern. "Why? What's wrong? How can I help?"

Romi smirked inwardly, but put on a troubled look. That girl was too kind for her own good. "I need to go into the city for a few hours. It's 'really' important, but im laden with work that has to be completed this evening. I can't get out, so I was wondering if you could help me by finishing the work for me"

Predictable as always, Siuani jumped in to the rescue. "Of course I will. What do I have to do?"

Romi explained the work to Siuani, the naive girl trying to take it all in. Once she had finished giving her instructions, the girl dashed off to begin the work. Romi smirked at yet another job well done. She went into her room and grabbed a white cloak so she would be able blend in with the city dwellers.

**88888888 in the city.**

Romi wandered the streets, enjoying herself immensely. She had decided to go to the market and have a browse at the merchant's wares. She stopped at a few places, buying bits like jewellery, glass beads and fabrics. It was a hobby of hers to sew and create garments to sell for extra cash. That was how she was able to make up for losses after that merchant had scrounged over half her wages for delivering her parcels and messages to her family in Kuruelna.

After a while, Romi decided that she had to stop buying, otherwise she wouldn't be able to get back into the palace without looking suspicious. Siuani wouldn't be very happy with her either if she found out she had lied just to get out of working. She'd lose her tool, and that must never happen. Siuani was still too useful to her.

Romi was beginning to feel clammy underneath her cloak, but she had to keep it on so that people wouldn't recognise her scribe uniform and point her out to the guards.

_"But I'm not ready to go back to work yet. I think I'll go over to the __Nile__ and have a swim" _she thought, glancing over at the sparkling river.

She found herself a small hidden spot amongst the reeds, away from inquisitive eyes, and put her items away out of sight in the rocks. She began to undress herself, taking of her jewellery and placing it in a pile with the rest of her things. She walked over to a large boulder that was raised above the water, lifting her arms above her head and diving gracefully into the cool water, hardly making any splash at all.

She spent the first few minutes cleansing herself before swimming around in the small tributary, paying no mind for the time. After a while, Romi became tired and decided to rest. She climbed out, dripping wet and grabbed a white cloth, wrapping it around her. She sat against a smooth rock, allowing the sun to dry her tanned skin naturally. She soon felt her eyes becoming heavy with sleep, so she decided to rest them for a while.

Romi opened them again and looked up into the sky to see that the sun had travelled a considerable distance since she last checked. In fact, the sun would be setting in an hour or so. It was a pale pink colour right now. Bolting upright, Romi swore to herself, angry that she had allowed herself to be that reckless. She was only supposed to be out for a few hours, but had been gone for much much longer.

She was supposed to have been back by now to deliver the documents to the priests who had requested them. She pulled on her clothes and left her shopping where it was. It was hidden in a space between some rocks anyway. No one would know it was there so she could come back and fetch it later.

Romi ran as fast as she could towards the palace, somehow managing to get in without being seen by the guards. The first thing she had to do was find Siuani. Hopefully she was still in the library. Throwing the doors open and almost falling into the room, Romi saw that the place was empty. Figuring that the girl had just gone back to her room, she turned to leave.

Romi almost died of shock when she saw someone standing behind her. It was Baal. She composed herself and stared back at him.

"Where have you been hiding?" asked Baal with a derisive sneer.

"What are you going on about? I've been here all along you denser then dense moron. Have you been sniffing opium again?" she spat, trying to hide the anxiety in her voice.

"No, not today. It's just that Akunadin has been looking all over for you ever since Siuani handed in the documents 'you' wrote earlier" he said, looking at his nails.

"What does he want with me?" asked Romi casually, despite the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Akunadin was the strictest of all the priests and no one liked him all that much. He was just respected really. Whatever the job, he always got it done regardless of who he hurt.

"He wants to congratulate you on a job well done" said Baal, turning to face her, annoyance clear on his features. "Apparently, that little essay you wrote has resolved a few of this city's most major problems and he wants to reward you for it"

Romi stared at him in complete confusion. "What?"

"You heard what I said Romi! You bask in his glory while you can, but one of these days you will get what's coming to you" Baal turned on his heel and stalked away, a smirk appearing on his face when he was out of Romi's eyesight.

Romi stood there feeling relieved. Baal was just jealous of her. She let out a small laugh. Siuani had covered up for her thank goodness. She would have to thank her later for this. Romi took a seat on a nearby chair and slumped into it. It wasn't long before she was interrupted again.

"There you are" boomed a deep voice by the door.

Romi tilted her head to see the priest Akunadin standing there. He didn't look very happy, but when did he ever look happy? Romi quickly stood up and bowed her head in respect to the older man.

"You wanted to see me?" she asked.

"Yes" growled Akunadin. "About the paper you wrote earlier…"

"Was it to your liking?" she asked with a concealed triumphant smile.

"Excuse me! Are you asking me if I enjoyed this…. this impertinence!"

Romi's smile faltered when she heard this. "What? I don't understand…"

Akunadin reached into his robes and pulled out the incriminating letter, throwing it in Romi's face. She blinked at it lying on the floor before looking at Akunadin again.

"Do you think that such insolence will go unpunished?" he growled angrily. He was obviously not amused.

Romi stared in horror as two guards entered the library and seized her.

"You will receive twenty lashes and a night in the stocks as your punishment! The next time you pull something like this, it will be double that! Take her away!" he ordered turning his back on her and walking out of the room.

Romi's protests were drowned out as they dragged her towards the dungeon to be whipped. They pulled her into a dark and dingy room, decorated with devices of torture, and chained her to a wall, her back facing them. They tied her hair up so her back was more exposed. She twisted her head to look over her shoulder. One of the men was deciding on which whip he should use. Romi cringed as they began a crude debate on which would be more painful in the long run. She turned her head towards the wall again and squeezed her eyes shut, hoping against hope that they would never come to a decision. Unfortunately for her, they did.

She heard a man standing directly behind her cracking the whip in practice. A shortly after, she heard a second. At first Romi thought it was another practice, but a few seconds later she felt a sharp sting tear across her shoulders. Her punishment had begun. She refused to scream. She had more pride then that. She wouldn't give these men the satisfaction of hearing her pain. The man continued to desecrate the skin on her back. Blood trickling down and sticking to her clothes.

When they had finished, they unchained her from the wall. Romi fell to the ground, her body lifeless and weak from the loss of blood. The guards took her by the arms and placed her in the stocks. Then they placed a dry cloth on her back and left her there, all alone.

It wouldn't have been so bad if it had just been the lashes, but Romi had to force herself to stand or risk serious injury which was very difficult to do in her weakened condition. She spent the next twenty four hours standing there, her anger and hatred towards the upper classes well past boiling point.

**88888888 end flashback**

Romi picked up the papers she had been sorting and threw them across the room. She just didn't care any more. She wanted to go home and forget this miserable excuse for a life she had. Romi stormed out of the library to go to bed. Upon arrival, she ran into Siuani who had with her clean bandages and ointments.

Apparently, she had finished the letter as instructed, but upon delivery, she had bumped into Baal in the halls dropping the paper. He had picked it up for her and handed it back. Siuani taken it from him, completely unawares that he had switched it with an opinionated letter telling the priests what Romi 'really' thought of them.

Siuani had been nothing but kind and apologetic to Romi the moment she had returned from the dungeon. The men had pulled the cloth off her back, all of her closed wounds reopening again. Siuani had tended to Romi, making her feel much more comfortable, but no less angry.

"Im so sorry I didn't check the letter" said Siuani. "I should have known that he was up to something when he acted like a gentleman"

Romi shrugged; face down on the pillows as her bandages were redressed. "He would have found another way to get back at me. It was a long time coming. Don't worry about it"

"Don't worry! You were whipped for something you didn't even do! How can I not worry about it!"

"Because I told you not to!" Romi ordered, getting annoyed now. "The tricks I played on him were miniscule compared to this one. I aimed to hurt his pride whenever I got the chance, and he did the same to me, but this time he took it one step too far. He wont get away with this…"

"What are you going to do?" asked Siuani.

"If he's willing to draw blood to make his point, then I will have to do the same. Only I won't be so merciful towards him. Do you know what im going to do Siuani?"

The girl shook her head in response. "What?"

"I'm going to run away from Kemet and return to my family. I haven't seen them for twelve years. When I tell them what Baal did to me, they'll gladly help me get my revenge on him. They'll make his life a living hell…"

**88888888888888888 a few days later **

'Have you heard about the pharaoh Akunumkanon?' was the most frequently asked question amongst the common folk. 'I heard that he only has a few months left' was always followed after.

Bakura sat at a table in the corner of a crowded inn, listening to the people talk about their 'beloved leader' all the while a smirk stuck on his face.

_"Ha ha! Well what a surprising turn of events. It seems that the man I am after will soon be joining the ranks of the dead. What a pity. I was kind of looking forward to making him beg for mercy while I destroyed everything he held dear. Oh well, all that means is that I have to alter my plans slightly to fit the new situation"_

The pharaoh's only son Atemu was the next in line for the throne of Egypt. Once the old man had passed away, Atemu would inherit all of Akunumkanon's duties that came with the title of pharaoh. Bakura grinned to himself. Unfortunately for the boy king, he would also inherit his father's sins. He would be the one to pay for his father's mistakes and the people would suffer for it too.

This new development tipped the scales in Bakura's favour. Atemu was inexperienced and naive. He'd had a sheltered life and was weak. He couldn't do anything on his own and relied upon his priests to protect him. He wasn't fit to fill the role as pharaoh. Bakura however was confident that he would be perfect for the job. But in order to make his plans a reality, he needed to be able to hold his own against the priests.

_"Before I make my move, I need to get my hands on a certain item. But I can't do anything until the old man has_ _snuffed it. Maybe I should give him a helping hand to speed the process up a little…"_

Bakura stood up from where he was sitting and strode out of the place without even paying for his meal and board. The innkeeper didn't say a word to stop Bakura from leaving. He wasn't stupid. He wanted to keep his head on his shoulders thankyou very much!

**88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888**

Ok then. The next chapter will have lots more Bakura in it and hopefully, Romi will find out that truth about her village. The next chapter will be better I swear! I will work extra hard on it.


	5. Chapter 5: Death of the Pharaoh

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Yu Gi Oh

**Authors notes**: A big thankyou to everyone who left positive feedback last chapter. Im glad you think this is interesting (despite what I think) It got off to a rocky start, but im getting more into it now. I have to create some sort of bond with my new oc like I did for Anuket. Im getting there slowly.

Im glad some of you like the whole 'Romi being selfish' thing. It does make the story a little different doesn't it? Anyway, as promised, I started writing this chapter 4 days before scheduled to get a good start. And it has more Bakura in it. I will be shifting from character to character in this chapter. Maybe Romi and Bakura will meet…briefly….

Btw, im changing my plans slightly. I have a really 'really' good idea for this! Im sure you'll like it.

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**The Thieves of Ancient ****Egypt**

**Chapter 5: Death of the Pharaoh**

**888888 Bakura**

The tall shady figure of Bakura crept through the streets, slowly approaching the unsuspecting guards. Had they been doing their job, they would have noticed the white haired man climbing over the wall. Bakura smirked to himself. They were chatting away to themselves about the poor pharaoh.

_"How pathetic"_ he thought, chuckling darkly.

He jumped off the wall and landed softly on the ground below, skilfully managing to avoid injury. He walked to a hidden spot in the gardens amongst the bushes, surveying the layout of the palace grounds. As much as he wanted to make a commotion right now, he needed to be in and out as quickly as possible. After working out his plan of entry, Bakura made his move and teared across the open space, avoiding all the guards.

_"This is even simpler then raiding tombs! It seems they have put more effort into protecting their dead then the living. And even then they don't make a good job of it"_

Smirking to himself, he opened the door to the servant's quarters and slipped inside.

**888888 Romi**

"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Siuani, wishing that Romi would change her mind about leaving.

"What kind of question is that? Of course im sure! I hate being around all these priests and scholars and people who think they're better then me. And besides, if I don't leave, then Baal will never get what's coming to him will he? You want to see him get what he deserves don't you? For what he did to me…" Romi's amber eyes turned and looked directly into Siuani's brown ones.

This made Siuani feel guilty again, just as Romi planned. "But you know what? The only thing I'll miss about being here is seeing you" she lied. "Your friendship is the only thing that kept me going"

This well spoken untruth had had its desired effect on Siuani. She smiled kindly to make it more plausible. That girl would do anything to help her. Romi's back had healed some now, leaving thin red scars where the whip had caught her. Hopefully they would eventually fade, but only time would tell. Romi had to admit that Siuani had done a good job on patching her up after the incident. She supposed she should thank her somehow for that the next time she got a chance.

"Don't worry Romi" Siuani said confidently. "I'll make sure that you aren't seen. You'll have a good head start. They'd never be able to catch up with you"

**888888 Bakura**

Bakura had poked around in a few chests and drawers, finally finding a servants robe that was big enough to fit him. All the other ones weren't wide enough for his broad shoulders. If he was going to do a job like this, he wanted to be able to move around in relative comfort.

_"Alright.__ The first thing I have to do is find out where the pharaoh is hiding"_

He didn't have to wait long though. The sound of the door leading to the dark room he was in creaked open, two men walking in carrying trays. Bakura concealed himself in the shadows, determined to remain unseen. He waited impatiently from his hiding place, silently mouthing curses at them to leave, until he heard them say something very useful to his mission.

"Here is the pharaoh's medicine. It's your turn to take it to him. I did it last time" said one man, reaching up into a jar and pulling out some herbs before crushing them with a pestle. He placed it on the tray that had a jar of boiling water and a cup containing some foul looking sticky liquid. It looked like it would kill whoever swallowed it, so that meant it had to be healthy. But not for long…

Bakura held back a laugh, smirking widely. _"What luck! I've stumbled into the infirmary! These men must be doctors! This is the very place I've been looking for!"_

Deciding that he shouldn't waste this opportunity, Bakura sneaked out of his hiding place. Stealthily approaching the two men from behind, he unsheathed his scimitar, the cold blade making no sound as it was pulled from its protective covering. The doctors were oblivious of the thief menacingly coming up behind them as they prepared to take the medicine up to the sick pharaoh.

Their death was quick and painless as Bakura slit their throats. He bent over the two men and effortlessly dragged them out of sight. They would be discovered later on sure enough. As long as he wasn't in the vicinity when that happened, that was fine by him.

Bakura wiped his weapon clean on their robes and sheathed the curved blade once more. He walked over to the pharaoh's medicine and let out a malicious laugh. Reaching into the folds of his disguise, he pulled out a small pouch. He untied the string and poured a strange white powder into the cup, using a stick to stir it in, the liquid remaining the same disgusting grey sloppy colour and thickness as it had been before.

Throwing the empty pouch on the floor, he pulled the hood over his face, making sure that his trademark scar and white hair were well concealed. He picked up the tray and exited the room in search of the pharaoh's chambers.

**888888 Romi**

_"This is it" _thought Romi, trembling excitedly as she strode through the deserted passageway used only by servants. _"I'm finally going to see my family again! I wonder what they'll say when they see me. Will they be happy that I've come home? Or will they be disappointed that I left Kemet?_

Romi wore a hood to disguise herself from passers by. She was on her way to the stables where Siuani had kindly prepared a horse for her. She was so distracted by her thoughts that she failed to realise that she had almost bumped into someone. Until that person began throwing insults at her that is.

"Watch where you're going you stupid wench!" growled a deep male voice.

Romi turned and stared at the tall man wearing the long robe. His features was concealed by the hood he wore. She couldn't make out his face, but she did notice the odd strand of silvery hair poking out from underneath. She couldn't see, but she could feel this man glaring at her. Romi didn't appreciate the manner in which he had spoken to her. Stupid wench did he say! Her good mood had been replaced by sheer loathing towards this man.

"Excuse me! If you didn't have your hood so low over your face then you'd be able to see where you were going! It takes two to have a collision you know! I didn't see you. You apparently saw me, so who is the stupid one here? Let me give you a clue. He's standing right in front of me!"

"I'd watch my tongue if I were you girl. You have no idea who you're messing with…" warned the man, his voice dangerously low.

"If I said anything to offend, it was purely intentional!" retorted Romi. "Why don't you be a good boy and get back to whatever it was you were doing before you walked into me"

**8888888 Bakura**

"Don't piss me off! I'm running out of places to hide the bodies" snarled Bakura.

"Yeah" she laughed turning her back on him and walking away. "Like a doctor would ever do something like that"

He was stunned at this girl's fearless attitude. He had never heard a woman speak like this to a man before. Bakura wanted to drag this woman aside and teach her some respect. But as much as he wanted to kill her right there and then, he couldn't. Not here. There was still a chance that someone could pass by and see him. He couldn't risk drawing attention to himself at this time. Also, he had a job to do.

_"If only I could see her face" _he thought as he watched her walk away, barely restraining himself from running after her with his blade at the ready. _"No matter.__ I will find her again and make her pay. She will be sorry she ever spoke to me like that!"_

Trying to put this little encounter behind him, Bakura resumed the task of finding the pharaoh. After walking around a few corners and through a few doors, he heard someone shout out to him.

"Hey! You there! Is that the pharaoh's medicine?"

Bakura looked up to see a guard looking at him. "Yes it is" he replied, putting on a softer, more innocent voice.

"This way" ordered the guard, leading Bakura towards the pharaoh's chamber.

Bakura's lowered his head to conceal a grin. This man, the pharaohs own bodyguard, was leading an assassin to his master. Everyone in the palace was so incompetent it was laughable! He passed through the door that the guard had opened for him. The man closed the door behind Bakura, allowing him some privacy to tend to the patient.

Bakura took in the richly decorated surroundings. There was no doubt about it. This was the pharaoh's chamber and sure enough, in the middle of the room on the bed, was the pharaoh Akunumkanon himself. He looked very weak and his skin was paler then normal. His breathing was laboured and he seemed delirious, mumbling inaudibly to himself. Bakura set the tray down beside the bed.

"Its time for your medicine my pharaoh" he spoke softly, the innocence in his voice laced with malice.

Akunumkanon was too far out of it to register much of what Bakura had said. Baring his teeth, the thief picked up the 'medicine', and with the other hand helped to raise the pharaoh's head enabling him to drink the contaminated liquid.

**888888 Romi**

Romi slipped through the stable door, silently making her way towards the horse that was all saddled up and ready to go. Romi had a small pouch hidden underneath her robes that contained money, and other small objects she might need. She took a firm hold of the horse's reigns and guided it towards the doors that led out of the palace. There was a separate exit here. Probably used for emergencies in case the city was under attack or something and the pharaoh needed to escape.

"Goodbye Kemet. See you in hell!" she laughed, jumping onto the horses back.

She pulled the reigns, urging the horse into a gallop. Romi sped out across the sandy space and towards the gate. It was an average sized gate, just enough for the horse to jump over. She noticed that there were guards patrolling the area, but she didn't care. If she could just get past the gate, she would be safe.

"Get out of my way!" she yelled as the guards came at her with their spears.

One of the men foolishly got in Romi's way, and paid dearly for it with his life. The horse, scared by all the commotion, trampled over him viciously breaking his neck, killing him in an instant. As soon as the other men surrounding Romi saw this, they all began to come at her, enraged and determined to bring her down. She wouldn't get away with killing one of their friends!

_"That wasn't supposed to happen"_ she thought as she tried to make the horse run again. "Arrrrrrggh!"

The horse didn't move quickly enough. Romi screamed painfully as one of the guards that had snuck up behind her, plunged his spear into her thigh. She clung to the horse's neck for dear life, trying to keep herself from falling and suffering the same fate as the other man. The head of the spear broke off in her leg, enabling her to get away.

The horse, upon seeing an escape from the madness, charged towards the gate at lightning speed. It jumped over, and ran off into the desert, away from the city and men with spears. As relieved as Romi was, she couldn't help but think how stupid the creature was. Why couldn't it have gone that way in the first place?

**888888 Bakura**

Bakura stood above the condemned pharaoh who was choking and gasping for air as the poison took affect. The white haired thief tittered mockingly as he watched Akunumkanon try and get up from his bed in the hopes of alerting his bodyguards. His throat was closing up fast, and his lips were beginning to turn blue.

"Don't worry about a thing my pharaoh" mocked Bakura, pulling his hood down for the man to see. "I'm sure your priests will prepare your tomb so it's nice and comfy for you and your wealth when you die"

The pharaoh stared up at him, his breathing becoming more and more difficult by the second.

"You won't be needing your dia diank where you're going, so you won't mind if I take it off your hands will you? I have an extremely powerful Ka that I'd like to show to this city. I've already seen your resting place. Very nice, but the traps are pitiful to say the least. It will be no problem getting to you and your treasure"

The pharaoh's life was rapidly slipping away, the pain in his chest becoming excruciating. He looked up in horror at Bakura. This man had already broken into his tomb? He didn't have the energy to ask what this thief's plan was, but he didn't have to either.

"I'm sure that your son Atemu will be a fine pharaoh. Strong, brave, and willing to sacrifice his own life to save his people. A true leader" Bakura chuckled. "But there's only one way to find out for certain isn't there?"

Akunumkanon panicked when he heard his son's name being mentioned. He had to stop this man! He tried to move again, this time succeeding the strenuous task of sitting up, but Bakura punched him back onto the pillows with such a force it made his lip bleed. Akunumkanon's head was spinning.

"I will make sure that your son pays the price for your crimes. You have managed to avoid your punishment by your failing strength, but I will have my revenge one way or another, even if it means settling for the son of the murderer. I will take everything from you, just like you did to me…"

Bakura watched as the pharaoh's eyes became distant. He stopped breathing, all traces of life gone forever. Bakura smirked. The first part of his plan was complete. He pulled the hood over his face and headed back towards the door in which he came.

**888888 Romi**

Romi had managed to arrange herself into a semi comfortable position on the horse, but her thigh was killing her. Every movement the horse made caused a shooting pain to course through her leg. She gritted her teeth in agony.

_"Come on! Hurry up before I bleed to death!" _she mentally urged the horse.

There was no doubt in Romi's mind. She needed to make an urgent stop at the closest village in the area. There was no way she'd be able to get to Kuruelna in this condition! Luckily for her, she knew of a village a few miles from Kemet due to maps in the library. She would head there first and stock up on supplies she would need.

After an hour or so of riding, Romi finally arrived at her destination. She was feeling cold from the loss of blood, but refused to give in to it. After hitching her horse safely inside a nearby stable, she limped into the inn, looking for someone who could help her.

The second she walked inside, all heads turned to face her. Shady men wearing dark cloaks all stared at her from their tables. Romi tried to brush it off. She had learned somewhere that some people did this just to get a reaction from people entering inns and to make them feel uncomfortable. Some sort of game probably. Romi had a feeling these were no different. She began limping once more towards the innkeeper who was looking her over very suspiciously.

"I want a room for the night, lots of opium, and someone who can remove this chunk of metal from my leg" she said, lifting her cloak aside for the man to see. He grimaced slightly.

"Uh huh, and how will you being paying for this young lady?" he asked with a voice Romi knew all too well.

"Will this be enough?" she replied with a firm tone, slamming some gold coins in front of him.

The innkeeper picked one up and bit it before nodding his head in approval. He gestured to one of his younger male workers to come over. He looked around nineteen years old. He had black hair that hung to his shoulder, with hazel eyes. He wasn't bad looking actually.

"Go and find the doctor and bring him here" he ordered, dismissing the man from his duties.

The young man took a minute to study Romi intently. They didn't get many girls in here, especially girls as beautiful as this one. What was she doing here? And why did she have a spear in her leg? She looked back at him, her amber eyes captivating him like no other girls had before. Romi knew fully well what was going through his mind, but wasn't having any of it.

"Are you going to get the doctor or am I going to have to live the rest of my life with a spear sticking out of my leg?" she asked with an annoyed air to her voice.

The young man snapped out of his daydream and ran out of the inn at top speed to find a medic. He couldn't keep such a lovely girl waiting now could he? The innkeeper, shaking his head at the young male's antics, came around from behind the bar to take Romi to her room.

"You seem like an independent young woman, but I have to ask this. I think I know what the answer will be, but do you want me to carry you to your room, taking into account your injury?"

Romi snickered. "Go with your instincts and trust the answer you already have. I can walk there myself. I've made it all the way from Kemet like this haven't I? A few more steps won't hurt me"

She somehow made it into her room and slumped onto the soft bed, breathing a long sigh of relief. She adjusted herself to make it even more comfortable and closed her eyes; feeling tired all of a sudden. The pain in her leg wasn't so bad now. In fact, she hardly felt a thing.

_"Hmmm, that's strange. The beds in a village inn are more comfortable then the beds in the palace"_

She was suddenly aware that the innkeeper was watching her. "I will have the doctor brought up here as soon as he arrives to tend to your wound" he said, closing the door behind him.

Romi wasn't sure that she heard him correctly. She was feeling a little strange. The last thing she saw was the room she had been laying in before darkness consumed her.

**8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888**

How was that? Just so you know, I will be following the original story to an extent, but I will be altering it to the way I want it. Btw, a major twist in the storyline now. I keep on getting new ideas and another has hit me since I began writing this chapter.

Hope you like this so far. Poor Romi. I keep on hurting her don't I? You must hate me. There is a picture of Romi in my bio page if you wanna see her. Also I have a page at deviant at if you wanna check out the rest of my stuff.

A note to all readers. Please review.


	6. Chapter 6: The Fugitive

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Yu Gi Oh

**Author's notes: **I'm sorry I haven't updated this fic in a while. I've been focusing my attention on the other one. oh well. Here it is.

**8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888**

**The Thieves of Ancient ****Egypt**

**Chapter 6: The Fugitive**

"She's waking up!" said a familiar male voice that Romi was certain she'd heard before.

She turned her head slightly and squinted at the bright light that shone in her bleary eyes. When she could see a little clearer, she looked at the people that surrounded her. There was the innkeeper and that stupid little lapdog of his, and a man she could only assume was a doctor from the blooded clothes that he wore. They all watched Romi with concerned expressions. Almost like she would break in half should she move an inch.

"How are you feeling now?" asked the doctor as he examined the bandage of her thigh.

"Im fine, what happened?" she replied abruptly.

"Well it seemed you'd lost a lot more blood then we first thought. Usually with an injury such as yours, the spear head would have kept the blood loss to a minimum. Unfortunately for you, there was also contamination on the blade. You've been suffering from blood poisoning. It's a miracle you're alive!" explained the doctor.

"Blood poisoning?" repeated Romi. There weren't many people who could say they'd recovered from that!

"Yes" continued the doctor. "I've been watching over you these past two weeks trying to keep your fever down. It wasn't easy I can tell you!"

Romi shifted in the sheets and swung her legs over the side of the bed. "I've been out cold for two weeks!" she yelled, trying to stand up. "Well thanks for all your help, but there's somewhere I have to be right now!"

"I'm afraid that's not such a great idea right now…"

Romi was prevented from moving any further by the doctor placing a firm hand on her shoulder. She was still weak from her sickness and lack of food, and was unable to push past the man as he was also much stronger then her anyway. She glared at him, trying in vain to stand up, but the look on his face showed that there was something wrong. Now that she came to think of it, the doctor wasn't the only one with a grave expression. The innkeeper and the lapdog were also hiding something from her.

She ceased her struggling and studied them, sensing that she wasn't going to like what they were about to tell her.

"Why are you all looking at me like that? Why can't I leave?" she asked, looking each man in the eye.

The innkeeper stepped forward and sat on the end of the bed. "You're wanted by the pharaoh's guards" he said.

Romis eye grew large with shock. "What?"

"A suspicious woman fitting your description was seen fleeing from the palace moments before the pharaoh Akunumkanon was found murdered in his bedchambers…"

"The pharaoh is dead…?" she repeated, unsure if she heard him right the first time. It all began to sink in. "they think that I killed him…?"

"Did you?" asked the lapdog standing behind the other two men.

Romi shot a glare at him. "No I did not! And even if I had, I wouldn't be stupid enough to run right through the guards' right after id done it!"

"Then what were you doing running away from the palace?" asked the innkeeper.

"Well up until two weeks ago, I used to work as a scribe for the pharaoh. I didn't like it there because all the people I had to work with were clingy, stupid, arrogant, or acted like they were gods. Sometimes all three put together. I was on my way home to rally my family and friends to get revenge on a certain someone who had pushed me one too many times…"

The thought of her humiliation that day made her blood boil. Romi had her pride and was not about to Baal take it away! But what was she going to do? She was a fugitive now. There would most likely be a reward for her capture, making it very difficult for her to find people she could trust. They wouldn't hesitate to hand her in for that kind of money.

Romi bowed her head in despair. She wanted to have her revenge on Baal, but what chance did she really have? Boosted security at the palace was most likely number one priority so she couldn't even get close to him. What was she going to do? She was in a very tight situation.

Understanding her predicament, the innkeeper smiled down at her. "Don't worry; the guards have already searched this town. When we heard the news of what happened, we figured it was you they were after and hid you in a secret room in one of our cellars"

Romi looked up at him and shifted her gaze to the rest of the room's occupants. The all nodded in confirmation.

"Why did you do that?" she asked suspiciously. Men didn't do this kind of thing just to be nice. She was sure they wanted something from her.

"Because we didn't like Akunumkanon" the doctor stated. "He was far too nice for our liking. Capturing all the thieves and troublemakers, putting the citizens at ease. I get most of my business from those guys. I rarely get an honest customer. How am I supposed to make a living if they're all in prison?"

Romi laughed. She wasn't expecting that answer. "And what about you?" she asked turning to face the innkeeper.

"For the same reasons as him" he replied. "Im sure the pharaoh meant well, but society depends on the dishonest to thrive. My family have owned this inn for generations. It has always been packed full of weary travellers, or locals just looking for a good time, but since Akunumkanon became pharaoh, business has been in decline. It's about time someone took care of him"

"But who do you think did it?" mused the doctor to no one in particular. "If this young lady wasn't the culprit then there must have been someone else behind it"

"Well duh…" muttered the young man in the background, earning himself a warning glance.

"I don't know…" said Romi. "But they must have planned it all very carefully to have escaped without being noticed"

"Well I doubt we're going to find out any time soon" said the doctor standing up. "Wait a minute! We haven't even introduced ourselves properly. My name is Kasseem, but people around here call me Kassy"

Romi raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Kassy? Sounds a bit girly doesn't it?"

"Don't get me started" he laughed. "This," he gestured to the innkeeper, "is my friend, Gheb, and the boy standing behind him is his nephew Khonsu"

The boy waved timidly at Romi. She held back a snort of laughter at his bashful nature as they had risked so much to help her, besides he was cute. Not in the way that she would want to date him, but cute as in sweet. She didn't want to offend them, and for some strange reason, she was beginning to like them.

"My name is Romi" she said. "Thank you for helping me. What can I do to repay you?"

"Just get yourself better" said Gheb. "If you really want to make it up to us later, you can help us out upstairs in the bar with the customers"

"But wont they recognise her?" asked Khonsu worriedly in the background.

"I don't think so" said Kasseem. "The only thing those moronic guards saw was a cloaked woman on a horse with a spear sticking out of her leg. Romi doesn't have a spear sticking out of her leg now does she? And besides, it's not like the customers will be able to recognise her anyway. Not with the amount of booze they'll be drinking"

Romi wrinkled her nose in thought. "Hmmm, a pharaoh's scribe turned barmaid…. I like it… it's so… gritty"

**888888888888888888 in Kemet**

Bakura was having the time of his life. He lay in a secluded area of a harem on a pile of comfy silk cushions, surrounded by gorgeous women, and none of them had a clue that he was the one that had murdered their beloved pharaoh. He listened to them all talk about it, telling him how terrible it was and how they hoped the person responsible was brought to justice. Bakura simply smirked to himself, proud of how successful his mission had turned out. He enjoyed hearing everyone's opinion of what happened. It was the talk of the town, that's why he remained in Kemet. It boosted his already swollen ego.

_"I suppose I should thank that unfortunate young woman" _he thought, chuckling slightly catching one of the girls attention. _"It's because of her the guards' attention was taken off me. It made my escape so much easier…"_

"What's so funny master?" asked the girl innocently.

"Nothing that concerns you" he replied gruffly, gesturing for her to get back to what she was doing. She resumed his massage, leaving him to return to his thoughts.

_"I wonder what their reaction will be when they find out they were after the wrong person. A woman of all people! Women don't have the talent that men do, but then she did manage to escape from them…"_

Bakura's thoughts were consumed by the mystery woman. The guards still hadn't found her and it had been two weeks! There were only two possible answers. Either she had found herself an extremely good hiding place, or she was dead from the wound she received. Bakura was confident it was the latter.

**888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888**

Ok then. Romi has met up and been introduced to her new pals Kasseem, Gheb and Khonsu. I was gonna ditch the idea of a gang of thieves, but now I think I'll go back to it. I quite like these new characters of mine.

I know that Bakura hasn't had much of an appearance yet in this fic, but bear with me. Soon he will be so in your face, you'll beg me to lock him up because he stole your chocolate bar and ate it all without sharing.

Now then. I have definitely decided that Romi will find out about her village next chapter. I meant to put it in a couple if chapters ago, but I decided to make the story a little more detailed so you get to know her better. Im starting to get attached to Romi now. I really like her. I think this is going to be another super long fic. Just like my other that currently has 37 chapters and almost 600 reviews.

Please help me make this story a success. Review and let me know what you think of it so far and ideas that you might like to see.

Once again, sorry for the late update.


	7. Chapter 7: 2nd Meeting & Discoveries

**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Gi Oh**

**Authors**** notes: **Sorry for the lateness of this chapter. I've been busy on my other fic, plus some other things that took my mind of it for a bit. Made me feel a little weird. I was asked out by someone last Saturday when I was at work. Completely threw me off what I was doing. Had no idea he liked me. Anyhoo, I wont bore you with my sad love life. This chapter is a little longer then usual as apology for taking so long to update.

**Romi's new costume is on my deviant art page if you want to see it. Just click on my homepage in my bio.**

**8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888**

**The Thieves of Ancient ****Egypt**

**Chapter 7: Second Meetings and Discoveries**

It had been another month since Romi had woken from her blood poisoning sickness, and so far so good, she hadn't been recognised by anyone. The guards had searched the towns and villages high and low for any sign of the mysterious girl that had escaped through their tight circle of soldiers. They eventually began to wonder if she had died. After all, her injuries weren't minor. Where else could she have gone? The three men who were responsible for keeping Romi safe encouraged this rumour. Soon enough, that is what everyone believed.

The moment she was well enough, Romi began to work at the inn for Gheb by way of thanks for saving her life. She never imagined that she would enjoy working as a waitress at all, but to her amazement she did. The male customers were always trying cajole Romi with their 'charms' to which she always knocked them back, hurting their pride and masculinity but at the same time keep them coming back for more. There were probably the odd one or two that wouldn't hesitate to use underhanded means to get her, but the majority saw it as a kind of sport, to see who could win her over first.

She enjoyed the banter with the customers. Even though she wasn't interested, it was fun to play with them, just to see what they would do. Ever since Romi arrived, the place had been busier then ever before. She was very popular with the men and this very good as it meant bonuses and tips galore. To be honest, Romi liked being the center of attention. To know that she was better then everyone else.

Another thing that Romi now did was perform at the inn with a few other girls from the village. She was persuaded by Rebekah, one of Gheb's nieces, to dance as it was a good and easy way to earn some extra cash. It didn't take Romi long to save up enough money so she cold buy herself a new attire. The scribe uniform she wore wasn't the best thing to walk around in for someone hiding from palace officials. She bought herself some blue and pink fabric which was very expensive because of the dye. She used the fabric to create a long blue skirt that rested on her hips with a pink sash and used the remaining fabric to wrap around her chest.

Romi walked up the stairs from the secret cellar that had been converted into a bedroom to reach the bar. She smiled to herself; she couldn't remember ever being this happy with her life. Not since before she left home that is…

_"That reminds me" _thought Romi. _"Maybe I should try talking to Gheb again to see if it's alright for me to go home now"_

She knew that she didn't really need his permission to leave. She was free to go as she pleased, but he had looked after her and put his own neck on the line to keep her from being caught and almost certainly executed. She looked up to him in a way, almost like a father figure. And besides, he had informant's that passed to him information regarding goings on in the palace. Whatever was going on, he knew. That was how his business was still going. He'd know if it was safe for Romi to leave or not. She'd asked him several times before, but he had to decline. He said it wasn't safe yet. Sometimes Romi believed it would never be safe.

She pushed the trapdoor open and climbed up and out of the cellar, closing the thing behind her and straightening the mat concealing it. She stood up straight and brushed off her clothes of invisible dust and grime and made her way towards Gheb on the other side of the room. It was pretty quiet at the moment she noticed. There were only a few customers around enjoying a drink and a meal. It would be a different matter later on though she thought.

"Hey Gheb!" she called raising her hand catching the man attention.

"Yeah? What can I do for ya?" he asked, brushing breadcrumbs off the table.

"Well you can tell me what I want to hear for a start. Are they still looking for me or can I go home?"

Gheb stopped what he was doing and looked up at Romi. "Why do you keep asking me that? I thought you liked it here" he said with a groan.

"Yeah, I do, but I want to see my family. I haven't seen them since I was five" she knew he was going to try and stop her again.

Gheb took a deep breath. "I don't think it's a good idea"

Romi began to get angry. "So when will it be a good idea! Are you ever going to let me go home or are you going to keep me here until my dieing days?"

"Of course im not" he replied. "It's just too soon for you to be travelling around outside of town. It's safer here."

"Gheb, they all think im dead." She said in a matter of factly tone. "And they don't even know what I look like. I've changed my clothes and my wound is all healed. What are they going to do? Match up the hoof print my horse made on the poor dead soldiers back? I don't think so. And I don't think they are going to stop every girl that passes by either. That's just stupid. Come on, please? If they do stop me I can always feign innocence"

Romi looked up at Gheb, trying to put on her most innocent look. Her big amber eyes glinting from the small amount of light that streamed through the nearby window. Had he not known what she was like, Gheb might have fallen for it. But he knew that he couldn't keep refusing her.

"Alright then, but not because of the look you just gave me. I'll have a word with my informer to see what's going on at the palace. If he says it's alright, then I won't stop you"

Romi smiled and patted him on the shoulder in thanks before walking off in the direction of the bar. "I knew you'd see it my way" she said.

**88888888 later that evening**

Romi slipped between tables and groups of people as she attempted to take customers their drinks over. It was much busier then she had thought it would be, and it didn't help her mood that every time she passed by a group of rowdy men they pinched her rear, making her almost spill whatever it was she was carrying. The first few times, it was annoying but bearable. After the fiftieth time however Romi was ready to kill.

In order to save her sanity, she decided to go behind the bar with Gheb, away from wandering hands.

"How you holding up?" he asked sympathetically. He knew how irritable she must be right now.

"If one more person touches my ass, I'm going to tear him a new belly button!" she growled under her breath.

Gheb smirked to himself but hid it when he saw Romi glare at him. "Look, why don't you join the rest of the girls in the back room?" he suggested. "They're going to dance soon. Why don't you as well? You can let off some steam"

"Yeah…" murmured Romi as she made her way past Gheb. At least while she danced, the men wouldn't be allowed to touch her.

**888888888888888 Enter Our Fave King of Thieves (round of applause)**

Bakura slammed the door wide open, letting it bang against the wall. All the people who sat nearby jumped out of their skins at the sudden loud noise. Bakura smirked as he watched them try and compose themselves. He enjoyed doing that to people; it was one of his many sadistic qualities.

He strode over to a round table in the corner of the room and slumped down in the seat. A young woman came over to him shortly after.

"What can I get you?" she asked in a weary voice.

Bakura mmmm'd and ahhhh'd for a few minutes before ordering himself a big gourde of wine and chicken legs. The girl walked off in the opposite direction, leaving Bakura to muse about his plans. He leant back against the wall and grinned. The money from his last heist had almost gone and it was time to get ready for the next raid. He pondered about whether or not he should go after the pharaoh Akunumkanon's treasure next, but decided he would give the new pharaoh a chance to recover from his emotional scars before he ripped them open again.

These pleasant thoughts were interrupted when the music stopped suddenly. He looked up to see the musicians preparing for another song. They began to play a fast, exotic tune that had everyone dancing along to in their seats. Bakura rolled his eyes at their idiocy. However, he perked up a bit when he saw a line of young, scantily clad women enter the room. His pale cloudy blue eyes followed every movement they made as they twisted and turned to the music. Unruly catcalls echoed throughout the room as the dancers' movements became more and more flirtatious and seductive to their audience.

The girls all looked like they were enjoying the attention they got from the audience, all except one that is. Bakura studied the face of the amber eyed girl. Her expression was the complete opposite of the other girls. It was emotionless and blank, almost like she couldn't hear or see the people in front of her.

Bakura watched this particular female as she performed. The way she moved in time to the music was seamless, perfection in Bakura's opinion. She was slim and curvaceous and was very well endowed in the cleavage department. He began to fantasise what it would be like to have his way with her in bed, snapping out of it when his food was brought over to him.

"Who is that girl at the end?" He asked the waitress, pointing towards the dancer at the end of the line.

The girl looked to where Bakura was pointing to and squinted her eyes. "Oh, that's Romi. Forget it mister, you wont get anywhere with her" she said, walking off again.

"We'll see about that" Bakura said to himself as he watched the women finish their dance.

**888888888888**

The dance finally came to an end much to Romi's relief. The audience stood up from their seats cheering them for an encore. The girls were about to comply, but Romi caught them before they could snap their fingers.

"Don't give them what they want!" she hissed. "Let them wait until next time"

They all returned to the room they came from to change back into their normal clothes. Romi was glad that was over. Now all she had to do was survive the rest of the night. The only thing that made her feel better was knowing that tomorrow she would be going home to see her family. Gheb had had a word with his contact; completely unawares that's Romi was standing behind him. She overheard the man say it was safe and chose that moment to make herself known. Gheb knew he couldn't refuse her now, so agreed to let her go, with an escort of course. His nephew Khonsu was going to go with her to make sure she was safe.

Romi frowned at the thought. She didn't need a babysitter. Khonsu wasn't exactly the strongest man in the village, hey; he wasn't even a proper man in her opinion. He was the same age as Romi, maybe a little older, but looked a lot younger then he actually was.

_"Easy picking for brigands" _she thought to herself.

She made her way back out into the bar and began to pour herself a drink much to her employers annoyance. She was just enjoying her drink when Rebekah came up to her.

"Hey Romi, guess what I just found out" she said staring at her with big shiny eyes.

"What?" asked Romi in a monotone voice. She wasn't in the mood for games right now.

"Well, you see that man over in the corner? He was asking about you apparently" she titled her head sideways.

Romi shifted her gaze towards the direction Rebekah was hinting at to see a man with shoulder length white hair staring at her. He took a swig from his drink, all the while his piercing blue eyes never moving from her face. Romi rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to her friend.

"Wonderful, another admirer" she muttered sarcastically.

"He looks cute, why don't you go over and talk to him?" urged Rebekah.

"Because I don't want to. I've had enough of men, always trying to tie me down in one way or another. I say to hell with them…" she took another long sip of her drink.

Rebekah snickered to herself as she walked off to a group of men calling for her. Romi didn't want to mingle with the boisterous punters tonight, but she did. She left Romi to her own miserable self and went off to enjoy herself.

As soon as she was on her own again, Romi noticed movement from the corner of her eye. She turned her head slightly to see the man with white hair come towards her. As he came closer, she noticed he had a scar on his right cheek, or rather three scars that overlapped. She could tell from a glance that he wasn't just a weak everyday villager as his body was covered in muscle, but not too much. She realised that she had been looking at him too long and didn't want him to think she was interested so she looked away again returning to her drink.

He stopped at the bar right in front of her and crossed his arms, resting them on the counter. He stared at her expectantly, waiting for her to look at him again. Romi simply ignored him and walked to the other end. Bakura raised a brow in amusement. So she was playing hard to get eh? He followed Romi to her new spot.

"Romi isn't it?" he asked, knowing full well that was her name.

"Wow, five minutes after someone tells you my name and you still remember it, what a dreamboat. I can tell that you're not being led by the large thing under your kilt" she said sarcastically.

Bakura looked at her in amusement. "Fiery aren't you? I like that; it makes a change from the other girls I've been with"

"What do you mean 'it makes a change?' There isn't going to be a change because im not interested. Why don't you ask one of the other girls here? There has to be at least one of them looking for a good time" she muttered, walking of to clear a nearby table.

Bakura smirked at Romi and waited for her to return with the empty gourds and plates of uneaten food. The moment she put them down Bakura saw his chance to wind her up. He walked up behind Romi and snaked his strong arms around her waist, pulling her into his chest and biting her neck from behind. Romi's eyes grew wide in horror and shock when she realised what was happening, but by then he had already let go of her and was halfway towards the exit.

She stared at him as he turned around and waved at her, a smirk playing on his lips. She was fuming. Romi touched her neck where he had bitten her and saw that there was a small amount of blood on her fingers. He had drawn blood. Romi stormed out of the inn to confront that man. How dare he have the audacity to touch her like that?

She pushed the doors wide open and looked out onto the deserted street. He had disappeared from view. That was odd. She tried to think of where he could have gone when suddenly a familiar pair of arms once again made their way around her waist. This time, she was turned around to come face to face with the very man she was looking for.

Bakura looked into her amber eyes hungrily. He was about to lean in and claim her lips when suddenly he felt his jaw go numb. He let go of Romi and touched his face where he had been struck. This girl was unusually stronger then she looked. Romi looked back at him triumphantly.

"That's payback for what you did here!" she growled, gesturing to her still bleeding neck.

"I guess I deserved that, but now you need to be punished for what you did to me…"

Romi's smile disappeared as she saw Bakura coming towards her with a mischievous grin on his face. She didn't know what he had planned, but she knew she wouldn't like it. She turned on her heel and sprinted off in the opposite direction, Bakura hot on her heels. Normally, she could outrun most men, it was an ability she was very proud of, but this man was rapidly gaining ground behind her. He was obviously used to running at high speeds.

After a little while Romi finally admitted defeat. It pained her to think that, but she knew she couldn't outrun him for long. He was a lot bigger then she was. She twisted to the side so he shot past her and stopped in her tracks, holding her hands up. Bakura turned around ready to race again thinking that last move was a ploy to gain her some distance, but saw her standing there, out of breath and looking very aggravated.

"What do you want from me?" she said in an abrupt tone.

"Well, I was hoping you'd like to come and warm my bed…" he trailed off, licking his lips. Romi wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"No! I wouldn't sleep with you if we were the last two people on this earth! Even if the future of mankind depended on our being together I still wouldn't do it!"

"Are you sure? I can show you a really good time" continued Bakura, tracing a finger along her jaw line. Romi threw his hand away.

"What a shame" he said, shaking his head in pity for the girl.

He was about to advance on Romi when a group of drunkards fell out of the inn, singing loudly and hanging off of each other. While his attention was diverted, Romi took the chance and ran off into a nearby alley. She looked around her surroundings; trying to find somewhere she could hide and saw some barrels. She climbed on top of the largest one and hoisted herself onto the balcony just above it. She crouched down and peered through the tiny gaps in it. Romi could see the white haired man still standing in the streets. He was now looking around trying to see where she had run off to.

Romi smirked as she watched his puzzled expression turn to anger. She made herself comfortable and laughed mentally as she watched him stalk off back to the inn. She stood up and went into the room adjoining the balcony. Inspecting the room, it was nothing special, just a place to store things. She found a ladder that lead out onto the roof of the building. There she found planks of wood placed across the gaps. Shrugging to herself, she walked across them with ease, not once loosing her balance. Eventually, she found herself near the roof of the inn.

She jumped across the last gap and opened the hatch to go inside. She didn't want to go downstairs. That strange man would be there, and she couldn't deal with the customers tonight either. Instead, Romi found herself a spare guest room and made herself comfortable on the bedsheets. She closed her eyes and drifted off in the comfort that tomorrow she would be going home again at long last.

**88888888888 next day**

Romi smiled as she thought about her family. How long it had been since she last saw them. She wondered what their reaction would be to see her again. She couldn't wait. Khonsu and Romi had been on the road for a long time now. So far there was no trouble from bandits and the like. Khonsu had no idea exactly where it was they were going. He just left the navigation to Romi. She had learnt a thing or two about it from the maps in the library.

"We should be there by sunset!" called Romi to the man behind her.

The sun was scorching hot and they were beginning to feel it through their travel robes. Romi adjusted the fabric around her head and face to cool herself a little. She was thankful when they eventually came to an oasis. They rested there for a while to eat and water the horses, and stayed in the shade of the palm trees until the sun began to descend to a comfortable position in the sky.

They started off again, feeling much more refreshed then they had been before. Romi's heart began to thump excitedly as she saw an outcrop on a cliff in the distance. She would recognise rock anywhere. The sun was beginning to set now; the sky was orange with gold streaks across it.

By the time they reached the entrance to the valley, the sky had darkened to blood red. As they entered the valley, Romi couldn't help but feel a sense of worry. There was something in the air that told her things weren't as they should be. She brushed the feeling off, believing it to be her nervousness at seeing her family again. Soon buildings came into view. Romi looked puzzled, there were no people about. How strange, there were always people about no matter what time it was.

Khonsu squinted his eyes and looked at the place surrounding him. His eyes widened suddenly as he realised what had happened to the place. He looked at Romi who hadn't yet noticed as she was too wrapped up in thought, wondering why everyone was inside their homes. Should he tell her now or let her figure it out for herself? He didn't get the chance to decide, because something had caught her attention.

Romi had jumped off her horse and ran towards her old home. The village drew nearer and nearer and she could finally see why the streets were deserted. There was no one here, not even inside. The buildings were in ruins, with little to no belongings left inside of the people who had lived there. Romi found herself entering any and all buildings she could, just to see if there was anyone around at all. Distressed, she ran towards her old house. It wasn't as badly damaged as the others, but it was still in bad shape. She looked inside, hoping to find her mother and father sitting there waiting for her, but there was nothing… literally. It had been looted a long time ago.

She walked slowly into the house, taking in her surroundings and went into her old bedroom. Her things were gone. the only thing that caught her attention was a scarf, darkened by age. Romi recognised it instantly. It was her mothers. She used to wear it outside as a veil to cover herself from the sun. Romi slowly reached out and carefully took a hold of it, as if it were to disintegrate to moment she laid a finger on it. She brought the scarf to her face. Her mothers scent had long since disappeared. It was musty and smelt of death.

The last time Romi had cried, was when she had left this place all those years ago, and now that she had returned, so did the tears.

"What happened?" she cried to herself in a whisper. "Mother…. Father….."

Romi felt a comforting hand, rest on her shoulder. It was Khonsu.

"I think I know who did this…" he started, unsure of whether or not he should finish what with Romi feeling so down.

She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with fresh tears. The look she gave him urged him to continue. Khonsu held up an old spear to her.

"Recognise this?" he asked, certain that she would.

Romis eyes narrowed when she saw the item. It was exactly the same kind of spear that was forced into her leg. That same kind that the guards used at the palace…

"The deceased pharaoh did this…" she said, realising the truth. "He killed my family and friends…"

Khonsu watched as Romi's tears were replaced by anger and hate. He wondered if coming here was a good idea after all.

"He won't get away with this" she growled through gritted teeth. "I will make sure that I get revenge for what he has done to me. a shame he's dead, but fortunate that his son isn't. Yet…"

**8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888**

Sorry it's taken so long to update. I've been busy. Well, now Romi knows. What will she plan next? Even I'm not completely sure. I'll have to have a think, but I have an idea. Let me know any ideas you might like to see happen. ill see if it fits the plot and put it in. if not, ill try and write it to fit the plot. Its all good! Get brainstorming people!

Hope you liked this chapter. it had a nice Bakura scene in there for ya. Oh, and by the way. Romi is going to get nice and nasty for those who wanted to see her as a bad girl. she may even start killing and stuff. You never know.

Review please. And thanks for giving this fic over 80 reviews so far. I hope that there will be more new readers. Enjoy.


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